


The Ever-Changing Kaleidoscope of Life

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Canon, Future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-26
Updated: 2006-03-26
Packaged: 2018-12-27 12:45:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12081336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: Set post-513, this story is my version of the future.





	The Ever-Changing Kaleidoscope of Life

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

  
Author's notes: This was also my entry for the 2006 Queer as Fans Fan Fiction contest. Btw, I had a blast at the con!   


* * *

“Give me that baby!” Debbie said, reaching for Jenny before Mel was through the door. 

 

“Good to see you too, Deb.” Mel handed the child over to her grandma.

 

“Sorry, honey, you know I’m happy to see you, all of you.” Debbie bounced J.R. happily in her arms, exclaiming, “Jesus Christ! She’s growing so fast! I swear she’s already twice as big as she was the last time I saw her!” 

 

“All of four weeks ago,” Mel whispered over her shoulder as she helped Linz with the luggage.

 

“I heard that,” Debbie said, reluctantly handing J.R. over to Michael. “When you’re a grandma, four weeks seems like four years.” She patted the grinning baby’s back while Michael smothered his daughter with kisses.

 

“Come in. Here let me help with that,” Ben said to the girls, giving them each a hug and taking the two large suitcases, Gus’s smaller Spiderman suitcase and J.R.’s diaper bag. “I’ll just pop these upstairs while you two say hello.”

 

“Are you sure this is okay?” Mel asked Ben. “It wouldn’t be any trouble for us to get a room somewhere, we don’t want to impose.”

 

“What imposing? You’re family,” Michael said, coming over to give each of them a kiss on the cheek. “You’re staying here for the weekend, we have plenty of room, right, Ben?”

 

“Absolutely,” agreed Ben, hoisting the bags a little higher. “Besides, it’ll be easier. If you stay in a hotel, Michael will just end up in the room next door.” 

 

“Ha, ha. Would you please just take their things upstairs, smartass?” 

 

“There he is, the graduating senior!” Lindsay exclaimed as Hunter came into the room. “Come here you!” She and Mel hugged the young man in unison. Laughing a little uncomfortably, Hunter pulled away. 

 

“Congratulations, hon!” Linz said.

 

“Yeah, congratulations on not only finishing with your class, but graduating with honors! Here, this is from us,” Mel smiled, handing Hunter an envelope.

 

“Just goes to show what hard work and determination will get you,” Ben said, coming down the stairs and slinging an arm around his son’s shoulders proudly.

 

“Thanks, Linz, Mel,” Hunter said, pulling a check out of the envelope Mel handed him. 

 

“Hey, Hunter!” Gus ran up to him and threw his arms around Hunter’s waist.

 

“Hey, little man.” Hunter smiled down at the boy he had developed an unlikely bond with. He was surprised at how little it took to impress the kid, and in return have him look up to Hunter in awe. He thought it was kind of cool, so, much to everyone’s amazement, he didn’t mind Gus tagging along after him while they were visiting from Toronto. 

 

“Teddy, Em!” Mel saw the boys walk in and another round of greeting hugs and kisses commenced. 

 

Ted looked around the room and said, “Hail, Hail, the gang’s all here.” 

 

“Almost.” Linz said, catching Michael’s eye.

 

“I called and told him to get his ass over here an hour ago…but you know Brian.

 

“Too fucking well,” said Melanie. “Well, if he’s too busy to see his own goddamn, son…”

 

“Mel, please.” Lindsay interrupted, giving her wife a warning look. Mel threw her hands up defensively, not saying any more.

 

“And Justin. It’s too bad he’s going to miss seeing you guys this trip,” Emmett said. 

 

“Well, don’t feel too bad, we haven’t been seeing much of boy wonder lately either since he’s busy becoming famous.” Michael was still ticked that they had to push back publication on the next issue of Rage by a month because of Justin’s schedule, not to mention that with his impending success, the very future of the comic was uncertain.

 

“Justin’s gallery show opens in a few weeks, so he hasn’t had a lot of time to come back to Pittsburg lately, ” Ben said.

 

“We know. He e-mailed us before we left. It’s fucking great news!” Mel said, raising her glass to toast the achievement.

 

“It’s better than great, it’s a dream come true for a young artist. I’m so proud of him, but we always knew he had it in him,” agreed Linz.

 

“Yeah, just not as often now that he’s no longer flying down for a marathon fuck-fest every weekend,” Ted quipped.

 

“Has Brian been to see him even once?” Mel asked skeptically.

 

“Are you kidding? Mr. I-am-an-Island? Of course not,” Em said, then exchanged a look with Ted.

 

“However,” Teddy stage-whispered, “Brian’s had a series of unexplained disappearances lately that begin on Fridays and no one sees or hears from him until he shows up for work Monday.” 

 

“But we aren’t allowed to mention it,” Emmett told them.

 

“Yeah, Pittsburgh’s very own, ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy,” said Ted.

 

Lindsay said softly, “I guess some things never change.”

 

*

 

Lindsay knocked on Brian’s door, knowing Mel was right, that if he wanted to see Gus he should be the one to make the effort, but she couldn’t do that to her son who had been asking to see his dad since they arrived at Michael and Ben’s. She only hoped that he was done with the trick he had undoubtedly stood them up for. She was relieved when he opened the door fully clothed, but it was short-lived when she noticed how exhausted he looked.

 

“I hope we’re not interrupting anything, but your son wanted to see you,” Lindsay hated the accusatory note in her voice, but couldn’t help it, she was pissed.

 

“Hey there, son.” Gus went immediately into Brian’s arms, surprising his dad by giving him a big kiss on the cheek. 

 

“I drew you a picture of my new school,” Gus said, handing Brian a folded sheet of paper.

 

Brian looked at the picture and said, “Wow, nice job, son. You’re going to grow up to be an artist, like your mom.”

 

Gus shook his head resolutely and told Brian, “Nope. I’m going to be an artist like Justin!”

 

Brian laughed out loud. “Well, in the meantime, why don’t you stick this masterpiece up on the refrigerator for me?” He put Gus down and the child happily ran to display his art.

 

“Geez, Brian. Artwork on the fridge? That’s awfully parent-like,” Linz taunted.

 

“You’re just pissed that he doesn’t think you’re an artist…anyway,” he whispered, “you know it’s coming down as soon as he’s gone.” Brian bit his thumbnail and looked from Gus who was playing with the magnetic spice jars on the fridge to Linz. “I didn’t know he was so…taken with Justin.”

 

“Neither did we. But lately, you and Justin are all he talks about…usually in the same sentence. He drew Justin a picture too and had me mail it. And he was heartbroken when he found out Justin wouldn’t be here this weekend.” Lindsay pursed her lips then said, “I think he has the idea that if he has two mommies then he should also have two daddies. And because he’s seen you with Justin so much over the years, hugging him, kissing him, generally behaving like a couple, he’s given him the role. It’s kind of sweet, actually.”

 

Brian starred at her as if she’d suddenly sprouted antlers, then shook his head and walked over to plop down on the couch. 

 

Lindsay followed, changing the subject. “I hear the re-opening of Babylon was a huge success. That the place is as popular as ever.”

 

“Lucky for me fags have such short term memories. Must be all the drugs. Babylon’s back on its feet with no lingering memories of bombs and bodies.”

 

“Maybe it’s for the best that they’re putting it behind them, moving on with their lives.”

 

“Ah, but aren’t those who don’t learn from history doomed to repeat it?”

 

“Perhaps they have learned from it. I know I did. I learned what’s important is telling the people you love how you feel because who knows if you’ll ever have the chance again. And I learned not to dwell on the hurts, and that the higher the stakes, the more something is worth fighting for, Brian. Proposition 14 was defeated…”

 

“By the narrowest margin in Pennsylvania’s voting history.”

 

“But the point is, enough people stood up and said, no this is unconscionable, we won’t allow this to happen. Those people are heroes and it doesn’t matter if it was by one vote, or by a million, we won.”

 

“I don’t see you and Melanie running back to partake of our great country’s newly secured freedoms.”

 

“We’re doing what’s best, in the long run, for our children. I do believe the political tide here can be turned, but Mel and I have a responsibility to our kids, to nurture and protect them…to be there for them. In Toronto, they aren’t treated like outsiders; we aren’t treated as second-class citizens. We don’t have to live in fear.”

 

“So, you believe sacrifices to the cause should be made, as long as you don’t have to make them.” 

 

“Fuck you, Brian. Just because your only responsibility is to your dick and the only thing you’ve ever sacrificed is your conscience, don’t presume to judge Mel and I for wanting Gus and J.R. to be safe.”

 

“You’re right. You should do whatever you feel you have to do without excuse or apology.”

 

Brian’s sudden backing down, as always, surprised Lindsay. She smiled ruefully. Knowing just how far to push was one of his gifts. 

 

“Damn right and don’t you forget it.” She punched him playfully on the shoulder. “Speaking of your son, are you going to spend any time with him this weekend? Maybe you could take him to the zoo, he loves the zoo.”

 

“Sorry, I already have plans this weekend.”

 

“For the whole weekend? Surely you can spend a few hours with him before we leave.”

 

“I’m…going out of town. Won’t be back until Monday.” 

 

“Anywhere special?”

 

“Business,” Brian dismissed the trip with a shake of his head.

 

“Well, it’s too bad Justin couldn’t come down this weekend, but it’s fantastic he’s making a name for himself in New York already.” 

 

“Quite the success story, but then, I wouldn’t expect anything less.” 

 

“You must be very proud of him.”

 

Brian shrugged slightly. “Six months in New York and already he has a solo exhibit. I’ve always said the lad’s a fucking genius.” 

 

“Why won’t you just admit it?”

 

“Admit what?”

 

“That you’re not going to be here this weekend because your plans involve a secret assignation with a very talented, hot, young artist who happens to live in New York.”

 

“Well, if I did, it wouldn’t be a secret assignation anymore would it?” asked Brian, rising to his feet and going over to where Gus was now playing with toy cars on the floor.

 

Lindsay smiled as Brian walked away.

 

*

-Six months later-

 

“Brian!” 

 

Brian looked up from his prone position on Justin’s couch, tossing aside the issue of Metro he had been idly flipping through.

 

Justin dropped his messenger bag and coat on the floor before climbing on top of Brian and giving him a hello kiss.

 

“You’re cold,” Brian whispered, cupping Justin’s cheeks, laughing and squirming in protest when Justin slid his freezing hands under Brian’s shirt.

 

“What are you doing here?” asked Justin, straddling Brian’s waist and sitting up on his knees.

 

“Waiting for you,” Brian replied, shifting into a more comfortable position and pulling Justin back down for another kiss.

 

Coming up for air, Justin said, “Not ‘here’ as in my apartment, what are you doing in New York?”

 

“It’s your birthday, where else would I be?” Brian asked, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to make a fuss.

 

“How about in Pittsburg? At Babylon, fucking the hottest guy in the place? Or the party Michael’s throwing Ben at Woody’s? Working late? An orgy?” Justin laughed and shook his head. “I would have thought there would be a million other places you’d rather be. Especially since I’m such boring company, working all the time. I mean, I must be since you haven’t bothered to come see me once in over a month.” 

 

“I’ve been busy. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, especially since hardly a day has gone by that we haven’t talked on the phone or by e-mail.”

 

“Uh-huh,” Justin said, looking down at Brian suspiciously. “And you’re here now, to celebrate my birthday…even though you don’t believe in celebrating birthdays? Why are you really here?”

 

“Because I have a surprise,” Brian smiled, shoving Justin off top of him and rising to his feet. 

 

Justin slid down, stretching out on his back to watch Brian put on his leather coat. He frowned in mock horror, “Another surprise? I’m not sure I can stand the excitement.”

 

“Grab your coat, we’re going out. And if you suddenly find yourself overcome with the vapors, don’t worry…I’m excellent at performing mouth to mouth.”

 

*

 

The building Brian took him to, obviously a renovated factory was not what Justin expected. Something about it seemed familiar, something intangible, a vibe about the place that Justin couldn’t put his finger on. Inside, it smelled of new carpet and fresh paint. Justin looked at Brian for explanation, but Brian just said, “This way.”

 

Once inside, they went up a huge spiral staircase, in the middle of what Justin assumed to be a lobby, to a floor of high-tech offices. Brian opened the chrome and glass door, partially covered with paper, to the biggest, most centrally located office that overlooked the staircase and area below. 

 

“Well?” Brian asked, spreading his arms and doing a turn to encompass the already furnished room.

 

“Well what?”

 

“What do you think?”

 

“That depends on what it is,” Justin said.

 

“My new office.” Brian pulled off the paper taped to the glass door to reveal the company name. “Kinnetic Inc., NYC will soon be open for business.”

 

“You’re shitting me,” Justin said, at a loss for any other words.

 

Brian shook his head and sucked his lips in before smiling and pulling a business card from his pocket and handing it to Justin. “I got the Martin account.”

 

“Holy fuck!” Justin took the card and asked, “The Martin account…as in James Martin, CEO of Red Core? The same Red Core that’s the parent company of half the business on the Internet?” 

 

“That’s the one.” 

 

“Jesus, Brain, do you know what this means?”

 

“That I’m going to be rich beyond my wildest dreams? Yes.” Brian pulled Justin into his arms. “It also means I have to be closer to the client, something this important,” he said, playfully grabbing Justin’s cock through the denim of his jeans, “can’t be handled long distance. So what do you think of the newest branch of Kinnetic Inc.?”

 

“Fuck me,” Justin muttered, eyes growing wide as he took in the reality of actually standing in the middle of Brian’s New York office.

 

“I thought you’d never ask,” Brain said, pulling Justin closer for a searing kiss before pushing him back against the desk and taking off both their coats, dropping them on the floor. Then he slowly unzipped and removed Justin’s grey hoodie and white t-shirt underneath. Justin responded by getting rid of Brian’s black button down shirt and belt. 

 

With anticipation building, they quickly shed the rest of their clothes. Brian reached down into the pile of discarded clothes and came back up with a condom. He ripped the condom packet with his teeth and sheathed himself, capturing Justin’s mouth once more, thrusting his tongue into his lover’s mouth, mimicking the soon to follow movement of their bodies. He turned Justin around and bent him over the desk, pushing himself into Justin’s tight opening. 

 

*

 

Afterwards, as they lay in each other’s arms on the plush carpeting, Brian said, “That was fucking amazing.”

 

“Reunion sex is always hot.” Justin rolled over, propping an elbow on the floor. “Brian, what about your office in Pittsburg, what about Babylon? Who’s going to run those if you’re here?”

 

“Babylon is in good hands with Alonzo. He’ll make sure things run smoothly. And as for Kinnetic, I promoted Cynthia…and Theodore. They’ve proven themselves, and I trust them. I also stole the top three execs from Vanguard to replace the team I’m bringing here.”

 

“So it really is happening,” Justin said, a note of wonder in his voice.

 

“Of course. Now I have one more thing to show you,” Brian said, enjoying the texture of Justin’s silky hair as he idly ran his fingers through it.

 

“So soon? Brian, you haven’t been stealing Viagra again have you?”

 

“No,” he laughed. “And for the record, that was your idea. What I have to show you is, if you can believe it, even bigger than my dick.” He leaned down, covering Justin’s mouth with his in a quick kiss then whispered, “Get dressed.”

 

*

The neighborhood was funky-trendy, Justin had looked at studio space nearby, but the cash from his share of the Rage Empire was nowhere near enough to afford rent here. Brain led him to a brownstone set between a vintage clothing store and a gym. 

 

“Come on,” Brian said, opening the outer door and ushering Justin through with a small flourish.

 

A vague feeling of unease stirred in Justin’s belly as they took the elevator up to the top floor. The nervous energy radiating from Brian added to the feeling.

 

The penthouse was amazing. Justin saw the same expensive Italian furniture as in Brian’s Loft, the same top of the line appliances in the open kitchen off to the right, the same naked guy painting hanging on the wall…Justin looked at Brian as he realized these things weren’t ‘like’ Brian’s things, they ‘were’ Brian’s things.

 

“How about the grand tour?”

 

“Sure,” Justin said, the burning sensation in his stomach getting worse as they walked through the suite- living room, kitchen, dining room, huge master bath to go with the huge master bedroom furnished with Brian’s belongings, and a second, unfurnished bedroom down the hall. There was one more unfurnished room. A room with two skylights and an un-fucking-believable view of the city. A room that would make a perfect studio. 

 

They walked back into the living room and stood facing one another.

 

“So you’ve already moved in?” Justin asked, breaking the silence.

 

“It was all delivered this morning.”

 

“I can’t believe Michael kept it a secret, he sucks at keeping secrets.”

 

“Yeah, that’s why I didn’t tell him,” Brian said, affecting a casual air.

 

“Shit, Brian, he doesn’t know you’re leaving Pittsburg? He’s gonna freak.”

 

“Michael knows how I feel about him will never change, no matter what else does. It doesn’t make a difference if we’re living in the same city, and see each other every day, or if we move to different countries and never see each other again.”

 

“You said the same thing to me when I left Pittsburg.” 

 

“Yes,” Brian agreed, his hazel eyes burning with an intensity that both excited and frightened Justin.

 

“And now here we are…living in the same city again.”

 

“I was thinking,” Brian began, running his hand through his hair and rubbing the back of his neck, “How about something a little closer?” He sucked his lips in for a few seconds before asking, “How about moving in with me?” 

 

Justin pulled away and put some space between them. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” 

 

“You don’t like the place?” Brian teased.

 

Justin took a deep breath and looked around the opulent penthouse, an unreadable expression on his face as he remembered another time Brian had shown him a palace he wanted them to share. The house that would never have been a home. “It’s beautiful, Brian,” he said, turning back to face the man he shared so much history with, “But…”

 

“But?”

 

“Would you have done this, decided to move to New York and open a branch of Kinnetic, bought this place, asked me to move in with you, if you hadn’t already landed the Martin account?” 

 

Brian hesitated. 

 

“Answer me.”

 

“No.” 

 

“Good.” Justin grinned, moving into Brian’s arms kissing him deeply.

 

Brian pulled back to look at Justin, one eyebrow arched questioningly.

 

“Don’t you see? If you’re doing it for you, then I know you’re also with me because you want to be, not because you think I expect it…or deserve some supreme sacrifice. This way, I know you choose to be with me…and I choose to be with you.”

 

“Is that a yes?” Brian asked, running his fingers through Justin’s hair.

 

“Yes.” Justin pulled back a little to look into Brian’s eyes. “Only, I think it’s time to re-negotiate the rules. We’re not like straight people, we’re not like Linz and Mel, we’re not even like Michael and Ben. We decide what’s right for our relationship…not the rest of the world. And this is a relationship. We’re partners, got it?” Justin shook Brian’s shoulders lightly.

 

“I got it,” Brian agreed, looking amused.

 

“I don’t expect marriage, or monogamy…but I do expect a commitment. I expect to be treated like an equal. And don’t assume that just because we both have permission to fuck other guys that I’ll always want to. Any sharing of tricks will be by pre-arranged, mutual consent…and we don’t bring guys back to ‘our’ place without checking with the other first. Oh, and I want to hear you say ‘it’ at least once a week instead of every couple of months.”

 

“Not once a day?”

 

“I want it to mean something, so don’t overuse it,” Justin crinkled his nose and smiled.

 

“Is that all?”

 

“Yes. Is it a deal?”

 

“One more thing,” Brian said, holding Justin’s gaze as he pulled a small box from his pocket. “These.” He opened the box and held it in the palm of his hand. 

 

Justin looked at their commitment rings and back up at Brian. “You still have them?”

 

Brian shrugged one shoulder. “Yeah…the store has a no returns policy.”

 

Justin laughed.

 

“So, I thought we might as well wear them.”

 

“Are you sure?” 

 

“I know we don’t need rings or vows to prove we love each other…did I get it right?”

 

“Word perfect,” Justin grinned.

 

“But…it’s for us, not the rest of the world. Wearing them won’t prove anything, but if it pisses off straight people, I say, why not?”

 

Brian took Justin’s ring out of the box and reached for his lover’s hand, but Justin stopped him. 

 

“Brian…it’s a nice gesture, but really, I don’t need it.”

 

“It would mean something to you, right? Make you happy?”

 

Justin nodded, “I know it’s stupid, that they’re an empty token of meaningless romantic promises...but I’ve always imagined wearing one someday.” Justin lowered his eyelids and ruefully shook his head. “That’s not exactly true. What I’ve always imagined is wearing your ring.”

 

“If it matters to you, then it isn’t meaningless.” Brian took Justin’s hand and slid the ring in place. “And a compromise isn’t the same as sacrifice. I wouldn’t have kept them this long if didn’t harbor some…romantic notions of my own, so go on…make an honest man of me,” Brian grinned, holding the box out to Justin.

 

“You’ve always been honest, it’s one of the things I love about you.” Justin took Brian’s ring from its velvet resting place and slid it on his partner’s finger. 

 

Brian held up his hand admiring the ring, then entwined his left hand with Justin’s. The bands met with a little clinking sound. The two men looked at their joined hands, smiling their own private smiles, then looked into one another’s eyes. Brian leaned down and kissed Justin lightly on the lips before pulling him closer and whispering in his ear, “Happy Birthday. And just to get this week’s quota met…I love you.”


End file.
